So it’s the holidays. Our existence as a whole is being sucked into the ever present commercialism that appears to be Christmas. What with the hustling and bustling of holiday shoppers and the familiar sound of carolers at doorsteps, one can’t help but be consumed in a sort of holiday cheer.
In another part of the world, instead of songs about baby Jesus and Santa Claus, we can hear chants of celebratory glee as the Hindu people celebrate the Lord Ganesha, Patron of Arts and Guardian of Culture. In India, the week of Christmas for us is a week dedicated to the thanksgiving towards the holiday Pancha Ganapati. Throughout the week, families decorate a shrine in the middle of the home to honor said god and bring about festive activities and feasting in honor of the Indian icon. In other parts of the world, we have several people all throughout different cultures who are celebrating differently and spending time with each other, some even neglecting any holidays entirely.
What am I getting at with this ramble of sorts you may ask? Well, we have this word we use a lot. That word is “me”. “Self” even, is another form of this word, while not used as much on its own, is something we are all familiar with. Here in the states, our primary holiday in December is Christmas. Some of us, but by no means all of us, see this holiday as a very consuming or self-filled occurrence in which we profit of ourselves with gifts and fancying over who has the better light display or who definitely should not be the one to make the turkey. But just as a reminder, these things aren’t everything. At the same time, I feel like we lose consideration and respect for people in other cultures who might not celebrate Christmas, thinking them to be odd or strange creatures.
Regardless, I see the solution as a simple one. Love. People neglect the fact that we as humans are love-driven creatures and sometimes, we couldn’t be further from the word. Whether or not we like the way some people celebrate, there should still be a distinguishable respect amongst people that can be tangible between each other. So I may celebrate Christmas with my fiancé’s family but my mother’s family doesn’t. So? Yes, not everyone’s beliefs are going to coincide, but that isn’t anyone’s problem to deal with. In the bible, particularly 1 Peter 4:8, we see what may seem to be a familiar passage. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” These words are so often forgotten by the masses, and I think that if we all remembered those more often, it would make for a better lifestyle between all of us.
So, regardless of whether or not you are a Jew, Christian, Hindu or whatever, love each other! Have respect for those who don’t believe the same way as you and cherish in the fact that whatever you are celebrating during this season, whether it is something or nothing, you get to be with family and love one another. It’s so simple, yet, made to be so difficult. Anyways, whatever choices you may make this season, love and make peace with one another and spend every day like it is your last. You don’t know how many you will get.
